"He's a kid who loves balls -- every since he was tiny," Tina Rafalovich said. "We can get all kinds of toys and games. I hope his love of balls and sports continues to be natural."

Whether or not Eli ever becomes an athlete, he's well on his way to a life of fitness. Dr. Michael Cohen, of Boys Town Pediatrics in Omaha, Neb., said developing healthy habits early is the easiest way to have healthy kids who grow into healthy adults.

How can parents inspire it? By living it themselves.

Many parents read to their infants in an effort to show them early how important reading is. Use the same approach with exercise, Cohen said.

"From the earliest days, I encourage (parents of newborns) to take walks with the child in a stroller, and then children are used to having those healthy habits," the doctor said.

Tina Rafalovich said she doesn't give much thought to Eli's exercise regimen, and she doesn't have to. As a stay-at-home mother, Tina and Eli play, sing, bike, swim and chase the family's two dogs through most days. They're getting fit without trying.

"He loves DVDs and watches TV, but he also never sits for long. He'll get up and run around," Tina said.

The Rafalovich approach is just what the American Heart Association recommends.

"Be active with your kids. Experts say that what kids want more than anything else is time with their parents. To give them that, don't just send them out to play -- go play with them," the association writes on its website.

If it's too late to follow the Rafalovich family's example in your house, Cohen suggests four approaches for getting the whole family off the couch and into the world of exercise.

Set Goals

To get moving, start with goals that are easy to attain in a week. Children sometimes can't grasp long-term goals, Cohen said, so break them up into bits.

"'Instead of, 'You're going to start exercising as far as the eye can see' -- sometimes it's too much for them to grasp. Instead, (say) 'Let's start with 10 minutes three times a week.' Then increase each week," Cohen said.

"I think it's unfair that the parents lecture the children and the parents don't necessarily embrace the lifestyle for themselves. It's so much easier and fun for a child if the parents are involved," he said.

It also helps you multitask, Cohen said, because in a busy life, parents don't need to schedule exercise time separate from family time -- it all happens at once.

Praise Works

Cohen said parents should be very involved in praising their children for trying to become more active. A parent's notice can be the best motivator to keep kids moving.

Whether it is a hug or a phrase, let your children know you notice their efforts.

Food Isn't A Reward

While you should be positive, you shouldn't celebrate goals with a trip to the ice cream store.

"Providing food based on performance or behavior connects food to mood. This practice can encourage children to eat treats even when they are not hungry and can instill lifetime habits of rewarding or comforting themselves with food behaviors associated with unhealthy eating or obesity," according to teaching materials for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School in North Carolina.

The point of setting diet goals is to change a child's behavior and attitude toward food, so take the reward's focus off food, too.